I don't think the draft system would be a problem, technically you can argue that the league is making the selection proccess and hiring the players, then distributing them on teams.

It would never ever be accepted by the EU. Look how they changed the way football worked with the Bosman-verdict. A draft-system and a CBA severly restricting the players` ability to choose their own employers would be ruled illegal.

NBA teams would totally bankrupt in Europe, just like NFL Europe did. Europeans only care about their own clubs, which they have been supporting for decades. They won't leave that club affiliation which to them is like a part of their culture and way of life, to see an NBA expansion team.

If this is true than why were so many European's cheering for the NBA teams in their city.
Alba Berlin guard Heiko Schaffartzik: "It was weird that so many people in the audience cheered for the opposing team. This usually does not happen here."

And here are some facebook pictures of someone who went to the Celtics/Milan game:https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...type=1&theater
This fans said: "Personally, I was at the Celtics game in Milan and, like I said in another comment, I had a frickiní great time. Place was packed and looked like a Celtics home game in Boston since roughly half the crowd was sporting Celtics gear."

So it seems that in two European cities-Berlin and Milan-the NBA fans were just as prevalent as the Euroleague team fans and that was just two examples I found. I'm sure if you look in the stands in the other NBA games in Euroleague arenas you will find just as many NBA jerseys as Euroleague jerseys. Wait to they even make Euroleague jerseys? lol

Here is another quote from that European fan, Andrea "in the NBA Europe Live thread that were full of hatred, prejudice and ignorance, comments made by the most extremist fans who probably have not watched one single NBA game in their lives. All Iím going to say is: if itís true people from the European side (the most extreme euro fans, that is, the ones who are only about the Euroleague and hate the NBA, a very vocal minority it should be noted..most euro fans such as myself love the NBA)"

You see Euroleague is just one insane, delusional Euroleague troll who does not represent 99% European fans at all. Most European basketball fans love the NBA and would love to see an NBA team in their city but it is just not feasible, they just don't spend all their time on internet forums because they are not insane. Even European fans on insidehoops say how crazy the poster "euroleague" is and ask us to ignore him.

Stern is so full of shit. Everyone in Europe knew this was a complete fantasy that the NBA could ever compete with big European clubs in the market in Europe.

European fans always laughed at this craziness. No NBA team can compete with Real Madrid, Barca, Olympiacos, PAO, Fener, etc. in their home markets.

The economic analysts must have finally told him how nuts he was. The NBA can't just swoop into Europe and out the Euroleague and it's big clubs, or even mildly compete with it in its own market.

They could have a team in London and maybe one in Paris, and that's about it. This was always a complete fantasy by Stern. European fan base is cemented as hard as stone with their own clubs and they would have absolutely no interest in supporting NBA teams.

The ONLY way that would have ever worked was if Stern wanted to make a European division using existing European clubs, or if he wanted to make a world championship game between the Euroleague winner and the NBA winner.

This idea of his of making 5 "expansion NBA franchises in Europe" was always totally insane and absurd, as it could never work. Apparently, he finally realized that.

Brooklyn exists in the Knicks market, why the **** wouldn't an NBA team and a team from another league be able to coexist in huge cities? You're a moron.

If this is true than why were so many European's cheering for the NBA teams in their city.
Alba Berlin guard Heiko Schaffartzik: "It was weird that so many people in the audience cheered for the opposing team. This usually does not happen here."

And here are some facebook pictures of someone who went to the Celtics/Milan game:https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...type=1&theater
This fans said: "Personally, I was at the Celtics game in Milan and, like I said in another comment, I had a frickiní great time. Place was packed and looked like a Celtics home game in Boston since roughly half the crowd was sporting Celtics gear."

So it seems that in two European cities-Berlin and Milan-the NBA fans were just as prevalent as the Euroleague team fans and that was just two examples I found. I'm sure if you look in the stands in the other NBA games in Euroleague arenas you will find just as many NBA jerseys as Euroleague jerseys. Wait to they even make Euroleague jerseys? lol

Here is another quote from that European fan, Andrea "in the NBA Europe Live thread that were full of hatred, prejudice and ignorance, comments made by the most extremist fans who probably have not watched one single NBA game in their lives. All Iím going to say is: if itís true people from the European side (the most extreme euro fans, that is, the ones who are only about the Euroleague and hate the NBA, a very vocal minority it should be noted..most euro fans such as myself love the NBA)"

You see Euroleague is just one insane, delusional Euroleague troll who does not represent 99% European fans at all. Most European basketball fans love the NBA and would love to see an NBA team in their city but it is just not feasible, they just don't spend all their time on internet forums because they are not insane. Even European fans on insidehoops say how crazy the poster "euroleague" is and ask us to ignore him.

If this is true than why were so many European's cheering for the NBA teams in their city.
Alba Berlin guard Heiko Schaffartzik: "It was weird that so many people in the audience cheered for the opposing team. This usually does not happen here."

And here are some facebook pictures of someone who went to the Celtics/Milan game:https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...type=1&theater
This fans said: "Personally, I was at the Celtics game in Milan and, like I said in another comment, I had a frickiní great time. Place was packed and looked like a Celtics home game in Boston since roughly half the crowd was sporting Celtics gear."

So it seems that in two European cities-Berlin and Milan-the NBA fans were just as prevalent as the Euroleague team fans and that was just two examples I found. I'm sure if you look in the stands in the other NBA games in Euroleague arenas you will find just as many NBA jerseys as Euroleague jerseys. Wait to they even make Euroleague jerseys? lol

Here is another quote from that European fan, Andrea "in the NBA Europe Live thread that were full of hatred, prejudice and ignorance, comments made by the most extremist fans who probably have not watched one single NBA game in their lives. All Iím going to say is: if itís true people from the European side (the most extreme euro fans, that is, the ones who are only about the Euroleague and hate the NBA, a very vocal minority it should be noted..most euro fans such as myself love the NBA)"

You see Euroleague is just one insane, delusional Euroleague troll who does not represent 99% European fans at all. Most European basketball fans love the NBA and would love to see an NBA team in their city but it is just not feasible, they just don't spend all their time on internet forums because they are not insane. Even European fans on insidehoops say how crazy the poster "euroleague" is and ask us to ignore him.

Exactly it's Berlin and Milan, they have no clue wtf is going on on the court anyways. That would never happen if they played in Lithuania or balkan countries, NBA teams would have to face best crowds they've seen even tho it would be only preseason game if it was in Lithuania or Serbia.

Yes I would love nba team in my city, I would definetly come to the game (Arena is like 15minutes away on feet), but there is no way i would cheer for any nba team over Zalgiris ever in my life, there would be close to none if any at all supportes of any nba team in arena if it played vs zalgiris.

Yes and everyone should ignore Euroleague poster. He should get banned aswell, but you aren't that much better if u spend hours to argue with him, how hard is to ignore him ?

NBA global expansion with teams across the oceans is just a dumb idea to begin with.

what the nba should do is simply continue what it's been doing and doing well, which is focusing on expanding fans all around the world and creating more exposure. they don't need to place teams overseas to have overseas fans.

NBA global expansion with teams across the oceans is just a dumb idea to begin with.

what the nba should do is simply continue what it's been doing and doing well, which is focusing on expanding fans all around the world and creating more exposure. they don't need to place teams overseas to have overseas fans.

The NBA could never ever compete with the big European clubs on their own market. Get serious.

You do realize that a Euro expansion would probably mean the NBA would be taking in the bigger Euro teams don't you?

Why start a franchise from scratch when you have ones ready made?

It would be just like when they took in several ABA teams in the 70s.

Now I agree with everyone that it was a dumb idea to begin with but the idea that they would start completely new teams is silly. They would look to bring in Euro teams that met certain benchmarks before they just did everything themselves. It would make far more financial sense to do it that way.

Exactly it's Berlin and Milan, they have no clue wtf is going on on the court anyways. That would never happen if they played in Lithuania or balkan countries, NBA teams would have to face best crowds they've seen even tho it would be only preseason game if it was in Lithuania or Serbia.

Yes I would love nba team in my city, I would definetly come to the game (Arena is like 15minutes away on feet), but there is no way i would cheer for any nba team over Zalgiris ever in my life, there would be close to none if any at all supportes of any nba team in arena if it played vs zalgiris.

Yes and everyone should ignore Euroleague poster. He should get banned aswell, but you aren't that much better if u spend hours to argue with him, how hard is to ignore him ?

Yeah I agree. The NBA wants to market in Western Europe because it's more about money. No offense, but even though Lithuania and balkan countries care more about basketball, they just don't have the economy that would make the NBA interested. First and foremost the NBA is a business and Germany and Italy have bigger economies.

That being said. You're right about the Euroleague and I'll try to ignore him from now on.

Look at at least a third of the NBA's markets and their professional sports saturation. Then look at the markets potentially available in Europe. The NBA has no interest in overtaking Euroleague clubs, just a franchise being in a market that can financially sustain it. You have no clue what this discussion is actually about.

How would that work? A European division? Would that be new teams or would they "draft" from existing teams? It could happen if thr NBA was willing to take losses and could find a couple of guys like prokhorov that have no respect for money.

Another thing, you guys realize that there are a gazillion of leagues and teams on europe right? And if the best players were concentrated only on 30 professional teams NBA wouldn't be much better... you guys treat Europe like it's a singular entity, well it isn't... Euroleague is a qualification tournament which means a lot of good players are left out.

If you have not already figured it out yet, most of the posters here are retarded.

Florentino Pťrez (president of Real Madrid) has always been very interested in this project. Rest assured that if NBA were expanding to Europe, Real Madrid would be in it. Pťrez is one of the richest people in the world and owner of an important building group, and likes huge flashy projects. So building a new arena for a NBA Real Madrid would be a wet dream for him.

I don't think the draft system would be a problem, technically you can argue that the league is making the selection proccess and hiring the players, then distributing them on teams.

Yes, like I said, it could work if they took in the biggest European clubs and formed a new league. It could NEVER work if they tried to form 5 expansion NBA teams and anyone that thinks that could succeed is a complete retard.

The problem is that Stern had no intention of using existing clubs. He wanted it to be expansion teams.

As for Real Madrid, the community arena in Madrid is easily to NBA standards. Maybe they could add some seats for NBA wants, but that's easily at NBA level already, and many upgrades are coming to it.

Barca is also going to have to build a new arena because Euroleague is all over them about their current arena. Yes, it's the way the NBA is trying to oeprate, by getting someone else to pay for the arena, then they come in to use it and reap the money from it.

However, Stern is only interested in AEG O2 arenas. I suspected this and asked some people that know that were at the Berlin press conference. That is what Stern means. Only cities with an AEG O2 arena would be targeted by the NBA. Thus, no chance for Real Madrid, even if they build a new arena, because they won't build an AEG arena.

Look up who has an AEG O2 arena, Prague, London, Hamburg, Berlin - that's it. Those are the only places Stern would even consider, because otherwise he won't get paid for the arena. That's why he made up some total BS about Europe only having two arenas......not even mentioning 20,000 plus arenas that are in other places in Europe, because they are not AEG O2 arenas.

Real Madrid won't be included in this, because they don't have an AEG O2 arena.

So that's it. London, Prague, Hamburg, Berlin.

He's obviously only interested in the biggest German market, so out goes Hamburg, and obviously he has no interest in Prague. That leaves London and Berlin, just like he said.

Unless Madrid suddenly builds an O2 arena with AEG they are not getting any part of this if it happened, even if they had a new 25,000 seat basketball arena, because it would not be an AEG O2 arena, with the NBA partnering with AEG in this to make more money that way.

If this is true than why were so many European's cheering for the NBA teams in their city.
Alba Berlin guard Heiko Schaffartzik: "It was weird that so many people in the audience cheered for the opposing team. This usually does not happen here."

And here are some facebook pictures of someone who went to the Celtics/Milan game:https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...type=1&theater
This fans said: "Personally, I was at the Celtics game in Milan and, like I said in another comment, I had a frickiní great time. Place was packed and looked like a Celtics home game in Boston since roughly half the crowd was sporting Celtics gear."

So it seems that in two European cities-Berlin and Milan-the NBA fans were just as prevalent as the Euroleague team fans and that was just two examples I found. I'm sure if you look in the stands in the other NBA games in Euroleague arenas you will find just as many NBA jerseys as Euroleague jerseys. Wait to they even make Euroleague jerseys? lol

Here is another quote from that European fan, Andrea "in the NBA Europe Live thread that were full of hatred, prejudice and ignorance, comments made by the most extremist fans who probably have not watched one single NBA game in their lives. All Iím going to say is: if itís true people from the European side (the most extreme euro fans, that is, the ones who are only about the Euroleague and hate the NBA, a very vocal minority it should be noted..most euro fans such as myself love the NBA)"

You see Euroleague is just one insane, delusional Euroleague troll who does not represent 99% European fans at all. Most European basketball fans love the NBA and would love to see an NBA team in their city but it is just not feasible, they just don't spend all their time on internet forums because they are not insane. Even European fans on insidehoops say how crazy the poster "euroleague" is and ask us to ignore him.

Exactly it's Berlin and Milan, they have no clue wtf is going on on the court anyways. That would never happen if they played in Lithuania or balkan countries, NBA teams would have to face best crowds they've seen even tho it would be only preseason game if it was in Lithuania or Serbia.

Yes I would love nba team in my city, I would definetly come to the game (Arena is like 15minutes away on feet), but there is no way i would cheer for any nba team over Zalgiris ever in my life, there would be close to none if any at all supportes of any nba team in arena if it played vs zalgiris.

Yes and everyone should ignore Euroleague poster. He should get banned aswell, but you aren't that much better if u spend hours to argue with him, how hard is to ignore him ?

I other words, everything I said was true, and everything Gabe said was fiction and totally made up. But I should be banned anyway, just because the NBA only fans argue with me.....

Right............not like the NBA only fans like Gabe that just lie endlessly here should be banned instead.......